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Action 7: expanding engagement BP 24.7.• Engage Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC), renters, low-income, new Americans, differently abled and other traditionally under -represented community members by encouragement, and support to participate in current and new opportunities to participate in citygovernment. 24.7 in Action: Engage Winona Seeks to ... Engage Winona! Engage Winona is a local non-profit organization that works with the City of Winona (as well as other entities) to drive "equitable civic action and social change by working to ensure everyone has access, voice and power In community planning, decision -making and changemaking." Over the past few years, Engage Winona has led and collaborated on numerous projects. One of the most interesting is an effort called the Lived Experience Leader Cohort which works over the course of several months to develop community members' civic muscles: the skills and confidence to overcome systemic and trust barriers to pursue projects rooted In their lived experiences. Brian Voerding, founder and director of Engage Winona, offers these suggestions for local governments looking to build trust and expand meaningful engagement: • Meet people where they're at. Build networks throughout the community. • Listen hard. Ask questions. You don't have to do It all or know It all. • Follow their process, not yours. • Do engagement a little at a time. • Don't take sides. (If you have to take sides, get a neutral facilitator, and meet In a neutral space.) • Avoid binary issue framing. Frame In a future -oriented way, with concrete outcomes. -Thanks to Brian Voerding for shoring information on Engage Winona. 27